There was a celebratory mood at Glengormley High on Thursday morning, August 20, after the school’s Year 12 students received an excellent set of GCSE results.

The Ballyclare Road school says almost 60 per cent of all last year’s Year 12 pupils attained good enough results to enable them to return to sixth form courses. And not one pupil is leaving the school without GCSE qualifications.

The number of pupils who attained the top grades of A* and A increased this year, and just over 50 per cent of all pupils attained at least one of the top two grades.

Describing results day as “another happy day for the school”, principal Lex Hayes paid tribute to the hard work of all those involved.

“All involved in the GCSE results - pupils, staff and parents - should take pleasure in these results. The amount of work that has been done is not to be underestimated and it is very satisfying that so many of these students will be returning to carry on with their studies with us,” he said.

Mr Hayes hailed the “great performance by pupils across the board”, but highlighted the 100 per cent A* - C pass rate achieved in two subjects, Statistics and Additional Maths. He was also delighted that Business Studies, Art, French, Double Award Science, English Literature, ICT, Performing Arts, Construction and Graphic Products students achieved over 80 per cent A* - C grades.

Commenting on the school’s excellent track record at GCSE and A Level, the principal added: “The fact that pupils can select the subjects they really want to study rather than be shoehorned into subjects that are not their first choice undoubtedly helps us to retain so many pupils beyond GCSE and attracts many pupils to our school at post-16 level to study AS Levels and Diplomas.

“We recorded our best ever results at A Level last week and the school’s results are now above the Northern Ireland average for all schools, grammar schools included, and that is a trend we are determined to continue next year.”